These are really early days for 3-D printing

Commentary: Such devices are still weird and alien to our lives

BERKELEY, Calif. (MarketWatch) — The most interesting technology of the 21st century may be what is called additive manufacturing, better known as 3-D printing. It’s fascinated me since I first saw this in mid-1997 and did not know then what to make of it.

Unlike a device that does machining, the 3-D printer is just the opposite. With machining, you take a large block of material and carefully remove pieces (by milling usually) until you get what you want. The 3-D printer uses various liquids and powders and builds up the object from nothing; it literally “prints” the object.

The leading public company making these devices is 3D Systems Corp.
DDD, +0.69%
which has the most amazing stock chart you’ll see for a while. Apparently the sky is the limit.

Its main competitors are numerous closely held operations, many of which we can expect to do an IPO in the next couple of years. If the IPO market is clamoring for anything, it is for these 3-D printing companies.

The 3-D printer itself uses computer code such as that from Autodesk Inc.
ADSK, +0.72%
and Dassault Systemes SA
DASTY, -1.03%
to model the object to be made. Depending on the printer, the object can be made out of plastic or metal. (The printers are mostly used for prototyping.)

But the potential is much more broad, and the general public can now buy these printers for use in the office or home. I’d say the average desktop 3-D printer is under $3,000.

I have had access to these printers, and it’s pathetic but I could not think of one thing to do with the device. This is going to take a new frame of mind for consumers to find these things useful.

Google Inc.
GOOG, +0.42%
had a number of desktop 3-D printers at its last conference, and they were printing little green, plastic Android logo robots. Toys are an obvious product to make.

At the Autodesk museum in San Francisco, there is an exhibit of some cool-looking jewelry and futuristic bangles that an artist dreamed up. So another good use is art.

I suppose you can make shot glasses and spoons and little items for around the house if you had this device. If I had the code, I’d love to print out some lens caps that always go missing from my camera.

Right now, it’s like I’m back in 1997. We are generally clueless about what to do with a 3-D printer, because such a device is so weird and alien to our lives.

Eventually I expect to see objects sold like Simplicity dressmaking patterns. Instead of buying that replacement lens cap from Amazon for $8, you download the code to your printer for $2 and print the object at home. No need for shipping or waiting.

The potential for this technology is just being realized, and investors need to keep an eye on the companies emerging from this industry. Start with 3D Systems.

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